A spatiotemporal indexing approach for efficient processing of big array-based climate data with MapReduce

Climate observations and model simulations are producing vast amounts of array-based spatiotemporal data. Efficient processing of these data is essential for assessing global challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, and diseases. This is challenging not only because of the large data volume, but also because of the intrinsic high-dimensional nature of geoscience data. To tackle this challenge, we propose a spatiotemporal indexing approach to efficiently manage and process big climate data with MapReduce in a highly scalable environment. Using this approach, big climate data are directly stored in a Hadoop Distributed File System in its original, native file format. A spatiotemporal index is built to bridge the logical array-based data model and the physical data layout, which enables fast data retrieval when performing spatiotemporal queries. Based on the index, a data-partitioning algorithm is applied to enable MapReduce to achieve high data locality, as well as balancing the workload. The proposed indexing approach is evaluated using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) climate reanalysis dataset. The experimental results show that the index can significantly accelerate querying and processing (~10× speedup compared to the baseline test using the same computing cluster), while keeping the index-to-data ratio small (0.0328%). The applicability of the indexing approach is demonstrated by a climate anomaly detection deployed on a NASA Hadoop cluster. This approach is also able to support efficient processing of general array-based spatiotemporal data in various geoscience domains without special configuration on a Hadoop cluster.     

Using kernel density estimation to assess the spatial pattern of road density and its impact on landscape fragmentation

Road density (i.e., km/km²) is a useful broad index of the road network in a landscape and has been linked to several ecological effects of roads. However, previous studies have shown that road density, estimated by grid computing, has weak correlation with landscape fragmentation. In this article, we propose a new measure of road density, namely, kernel density estimation function (KDE) and quantify the relation between road density and landscape fragmentation. The results show that road density estimated by KDE (km/km²) elucidates the spatial pattern of the road network in the region. Areas with higher road density are dominated by a larger proportion of built-up landscape and less possession of forest and vice versa. Road networks segregated the landscape into smaller pieces and a greater number of patches. Furthermore, Spearman rank correlation model indicates that road density (km/km²) is positively related to landscape fragmentation. Our results suggest that road density, estimated by KDE, may be a better correlate with effects of the road on landscape fragmentation. Through KDE, the regional spatial pattern of road density and the prediction of the impact of the road on landscape fragmentation could be effectively acquired.     

移动定位大数据视角下的人群移动模式及城市空间结构研究进展

了解城市人群移动行为和空间结构对城市规划、交通管理、应急响应等具有重要的意义。近年来,随着信息技术(ICT)的快速发展,采集大规模、长时间序列的人群移动定位大数据变得容易,为人群移动行为研究带来了新的机遇和挑战。本文首先介绍了目前用于城市人群移动行为和空间结构研究的主要数据源及其特征,并分别从人群移动行为、城市空间结构2个方面对近3年国内外相关研究进行归纳总结。目前的研究主要从移动定位大数据中挖掘人群移动模式,理解人群移动时空规律,进一步透视城市的空间结构特征;而对城市空间结构与人群移动行为影响的研究较少。未来可通过融合多源时空数据,综合研究人群移动行为与城市空间结构之间的相互作用,发展大规模群体移动行为时空分析理论和模型,进一步深入理解人群移动行为与城市空间结构的耦合关系。     

Statistical analysis of spatial point patterns on deep seismic reflection data: a preliminary test

Spatial point patterns generated from bitmaps of images of processed reflection seismic profiles are analysed to quantify the reflectivity patterns. The point process characteristics for two different regions of a deep seismic reflection profile in northwestern Canada demonstrate that in both cases the points are not randomly distributed and that the point pattern distribution is different between the regions. The cluster effects for small point pair distances are stronger for the region of data where there is strong sedimentary layering than for the region where the layering is less distinct. As a result, it appears that future developments in point pattern analysis may provide a new tool for analysing spatial variations in reflection data.     

基于FCD数据的城市有效路网密度评价——以广州荔湾区和越秀区为例

提出一种基于FCD数据的城市有效路网密度的评价方法,主要是从城市路网的静态布局结构和动态交通流量两个方面对城市路网数据以及FCD数据进行核密度估计分析,得到城市有效路网密度等级的分布特征,继而通过理论与实际道路网密度等级差异对比分析,发现路网中差异区域,为城市路网规划提供可靠的依据。以广州市中心城区越秀、荔湾内的主要路网数据以及2010年五一期间中心城区内出租车的FCD数据为例,利用上述评价方法进行分析得出以下结论:区域内人民中路、人民南路、白云路、中山六路和中山七路路段的理论与实际密度等级差异性明显,表现为路段上密度核的数量与核影响范围差异大,其中尤为突出的是人民中路和人民南路,从理论有效路网密度的分析角度,两个路段都是高密度区域,与实际交通流量存在较大的密度分异。     

A unified approach for location-allocation analysis: integrating GIS,distributed computing and spatial optimization

Location-allocation modeling is an important area of research in spatial optimization and GIScience. A large number of analytical models for location-allocation analysis have been developed in the past 50 years to meet the requirements of different planning and spatial-analytic applications, ranging from the location of emergency response units (EMS) to warehouses and transportation hubs. Despite their great number, many location-allocation models are intrinsically linked to one another. A well-known example is the theoretical link between the classic p-median problem and coverage location problems. Recently, Lei and Church showed that a large number of classic and new location models can be posed as special case problems of a new modeling construct called the vector assignment ordered median problem (VAOMP). Lei and Church also reported extremely high computational complexity in optimally solving the best integer linear programming (ILP) formulation developed for the VAOMP even for medium-sized problems in certain cases.

In this article, we develop an efficient unified solver for location-allocation analysis based on the VAOMP model without using ILP solvers. Our aim is to develop a fast heuristic algorithm based on the Tabu Search (TS) meta-heuristic, and message passing interface (MPI) suitable for obtaining optimal or near-optimal solutions for the VAOMP in a real-time environment. The unified approach is particularly interesting from the perspective of GIScience and spatial decision support systems (DSS) as it makes it possible to solve a wide variety of location models in a unified manner in a GIS environment. Computational results show that the TS method can often obtain in seconds, solutions that are better than those obtained using the ILP-based approach in hours or a day.     

基于互联网数据的住宿业竞争力及其空间格局——以武汉主城区高端酒店为例

随着互联网的发展,利用互联网数据来研究城市实体空间问题成为城市地理学研究内容和研究方法的新切入点。本文基于互联网消费平台点评数据、互联网地图实时交通数据和城市兴趣点等数据,在建立住宿业竞争力评价指标体系的基础上,计算武汉主城区高端酒店竞争力得分和排名,并探求住宿业竞争力的空间分布特征和布局模式。研究发现：①武汉高端酒店竞争力得分总体较为集中。价格、人气、周边商业和商务服务是酒店之间竞争力差距的主要因素;②武汉高端酒店竞争力投射在空间上总体呈现点状聚集与线形延伸并存的格局,竞争力高分酒店主要集中在二环线内的武昌和汉口;③随着酒店竞争力等级的下降,酒店空间格局呈现由城市中心向四周递减的圈层式发展规律,高等级酒店大多出现在新兴商业区;④本文归纳了武汉主城区高端酒店竞争力空间分布模型,得出中央活动区新兴商圈顶级高端酒店、中央活动区传统商圈中级高端酒店、交通门户周边中级高端酒店等7种住宿业空间格局类型。     

中国城市网络关联与经济增长溢出效应——基于大数据与网络分析方法的研究

深化城市网络空间特征的认识,科学测度经济增长的溢出效应,对推进新时期区域协调发展具有重要意义。本文结合城市网络和网络外部性两种研究视角,基于网络分析和空间计量方法,使用互联网大数据构建信息网络、企业网络、人口网络三种流要素城市网络,对中国336个地级以上行政单元的网络空间异质性、经济增长溢出效应进行实证分析。研究发现：中国城市网络联系具有显著的空间异质性,呈现出“中心-外围”特点,形成全国范围和省域、城市群范围两种尺度下的空间结构,表现出兼具择优选择与地理邻近的复杂特征;网络关联下城市经济增长具有显著的正向和负向溢出效应,反映出网络外部性对区域经济增长的重要影响,对比实体空间溢出效应表现出地理邻近关系下的相似性,以及跨越省级边界的差异性;对于全国范围下的网络关联矩阵,使用对称化和标准化处理更为合适,表明省域和城市群是推进区域经济协调发展的重要载体。     

基于空间点模式分析的城市管理事件空间分布及演化——以武汉市江汉区为例

城市网格化管理系统经过多年运行积累了大量历史事件数据, 这类事件数据在空间上呈现明显集聚分布。确定事件发生的空间分布以及衡量空间分布的集聚程度, 能够为城市管理资源的合理调配、划分提供重要的决策支持。本文应用空间点模式分析方法, 对2011 年1-8 月间武汉市江汉区城市网格化管理系统中的两类主体事件(占道经营和垃圾处理类)进行分析, 研究发现:占道经营事件的“热点”区域1-8 月总体呈减少趋势, 而垃圾处理事件的“热点”区域整体呈递增趋势;两类事件呈现明显的空间集聚, 其特征空间尺度都为1000 m左右。研究表明, 空间点模式分析方法能够为城市管理者提供一种针对城市事件空间集聚模式的直观的可视化分析手段, 以及对空间集聚程度的定量分析方法, 并可为进一步统计建模分析奠定基础。     

中国县域城镇化发展格局及其影响因素——基于2000和2010年全国人口普查分县数据

利用2000 和2010 年中国人口普查分县数据,借助空间分析方法揭示近期中国常住人口城镇化格局特征及其动态变化,结合多元回归模型探讨城镇化空间分异的主要影响因素,基于主成分分析和聚类分析进行中国城镇化发展类型区划分。结果表明：① 2000-2010 年,中国常住人口城镇化率不断提高,年均增加1.3 个百分点,32%的县域城镇化水平年均增长超过1.5 个百分点;② 中国城镇化发展存在区域差异性和“低快高慢”的收敛性,东部、东北、中部、西部四大区域城镇化率年均分别增加1.4、0.5、1.4 和1.3 个百分点;③ 60%的中国县域城镇化发展集中在低城镇化率—高增长率、低城镇化率—中高增长率和低城镇化率—中增长率三种类型,且以中、西部地区分布最为密集;④ 中国县域城镇化格局基本未变,仍以珠三角、长三角、京津冀三大增长极的城镇化发展较为突出,东部地区及内陆省会城市周边的城镇化水平也相对较高;⑤ 经济发展水平、产业结构特征、人力资本状况、人口集聚能力、公共服务水平、地理区位特征对县域城镇化空间分异具有显著而稳健的影响;⑥ 中国城镇化格局可分为具有明显区类一致性和区外异质性的5 大类、20 个区域。新时期的城镇化发展应凸显地域功能、提升承载能力、夯实产业基础、强调节约集约。